Finding the Light
by Phoenixica24
Summary: Fifteen years before 'The Fellowship of the Ring' a strange darkness attacked Rivendell, targeting Elrond's wife and youngest daughter. The two fled to Earth, where Elentari took ill and died, leaving her quarter-elven daughter to fend for herself. Now she has returned! But completely unaware of her origins, dying, and thinking she is living a dream. She joins the Fellowship to...
1. Chapter 1: Prologue: Leaving

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) for looking it over for me! :D  
**

Finding the Light:

Prologue: Leaving:

Water bubbled quietly over the rocks, foaming its way down to the great river, and from there, the sea.

O, the sea! So many stories came up the river of a great expanse of water, of gulls that cried over the bay, of the music of the crashing of the waves on the shore.

"_Someday...Someday...I will be there..._" a child's voice sang, floating across the falls to the ears of the Lord and Lady of Rivendell.

"Found her." Elentári laughed softly.

Elrond smiled. "Indeed." he replied, chuckling.

"Ada..." Arwen's voice came from behind them. "Ammë..."

"Yes?" Elrond replied, turning to his eldest daughter. "King Thranduil is here." she stated respectfully. But her eyes shone with happiness, betraying her calm exterior to show the child still within.

Elrond laughed and kissed her forehead lightly. "I'll be right with him." he told her. "Why don't you go find Linde?"

Arwen laughed and nodded, running down the trail to find her younger sister. It wasn't hard, you just had to follow her voice. She wasn't named Melody for nothing. Her voice was beautiful, and she was always singing. Some claimed her soul was composed entirely of music, and the lyrics she sang were the songs of her heart. It wasn't too hard to believe.

"Linde!" Arwen called, racing through the trees.

"Arwen?" called a different voice, not that of her sweet little sister. It was deeper, almost threatening.

"Linde!" Arwen screamed desperately.

A muffled shriek came from nearby. "Go!" Linde cried. "Get help!"

"No she won't." said that deep voice again, and Arwen couldn't move.

"Arwen...please..." Linde begged. "Onóne!"

Her little sister's pleading voice snapped Arwen back into reality. If she so much as opened her mouth, she and Linde would die, she knew that. She had no idea who or where their attacker was, and that made the situation more dangerous than a normal threat.

Without so much as a glance at her sister, she turned and fled. Cold laughter followed her back to Rivendell.

"Coward."

Arwen ran hard, arriving in her father's council gasping for breath and disheveled. Elrond rose from his seat, looking concerned. Elentári covered her mouth with her hands and called out to the guards.

"Where is Linde?" she asked, kneeling beside her firstborn.

"Help...this way!" Arwen cried, pulling away from her mother and setting off at a sprint back in the direction she'd come.

Her parents and the guards followed her. Soon they found the place where Linde had been, but where she was no longer. Elentári turned to Elrond, pale as a corpse.

"I'm sorry, Elrond." she whispered. Her use of the common tongue surprised him.

"Elentári..." he began, but trailed off as she lifted her hand.

"That shadow...is from my world. I should have known." she whispered. "It is no longer safe for us here. Arwen takes after you more, she can stay. But Linde and I...we must leave." Tears rolled down her cheeks as she said this, but the look in her eyes was that of steel.

"My love...Please...Do not leave me, and take our daughter! Surely..." Elrond tried, but his wife shook her head.

"I know what this is, it is not safe. I must go, and try to disperse the danger. If I succeed, I will return. Will you wait for me?"

"Always." he replied.

And he did.

**Quenya: I used Google, so please tell me if something's wrong. If anyone knows Quenya well, and Sindarin, as well as possible, and would like to be my translator, please PM me! Thank you!**

**Elentári-star-queen.**

**Ada-father**

**Ammë-mother**

**Linde-Melody**

**Onóne-sister**


	2. Chapter 2: A Sudden Vacation

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) and my first reviewer, kaototchi! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and review! :D  
**

Finding the Light:

Chapter One: A Sudden Vacation:

Bright colors filled the world. Emerald, chocolate, sapphire, periwinkle, gold, gray, and many others, all begging to be remembered.

The teenage girl sitting on the rock complied, committing every possible detail to memory. Or paper, as the case were. When she decided that her drawing skills were still not good enough, she pulled her notebook closer and picked up her red pen. She would write about it instead. She was better at that anyway.

"Hey! Mel!" called her friend's voice from the bike trail. "You going to sit on that rock all day?"

"Maybe!" Melody called back, smirking.

"You've got all summer!"

"So?" Melody retorted. "Who says the weather will be nice all summer? Or that I'll be home?"

"Fine, then. Be that way!" Amber called back.

"You know you're going with _him_ anyway! You don't need a chaperone!" Melody teased. Amber rolled her eyes.

"True. See ya!" With that, her friend left. Melody shook her head, smiling. Then her smile faded as her head throbbed. She'd been having migraines for the past month. This one was particularly bad. And she didn't have any Advil with her.

_Maybe I'll just lie down for a little while..._

The last thing she saw before her eyes drifted closed was the peaceful Fox River flowing past her face.

The first thing she saw when she woke some hours later was quite different.

It was dark, but she could still feel grass instead of rock beneath her body, and hear the gurgling of water over falls rather than the normal night traffic sounds from Route 31.

_What the hell?_

Yes, she'd spent the past few weeks wishing she could start life over, but...what was this?

"Hello?" she called, then cursed herself. If she'd been kidnapped, they'd surely come back to hurt her now!

But how else was she supposed to figure this out?

Melody snorted. _Not like you've ever really had to rely on anyone before. Or when you did, you were unable to. You can handle this on your own!_

The music of the night changed slightly, a new instrument joining the chorus, a soft drumming. Even with her lack of actual horse sense, Melody recognized the faint sound of hoofbeats.

She scrambled for cover, and ended up climbing a tree. She crouched on one of the lower, but well-concealed branches and gazed down upon the falls. A white horse pulled up just below her branch. A tall old man sat astride the animal, and gazed around thoughtfully.

"Did you hear anything?" he asked his horse. The creature tossed its head, looking right up at Melody. She put a finger to her lips, but the horse whinnied and reared slightly, tossing its head up towards her hiding place.

Melody swore softly under her breath. The figure turned, and her eyes widened. She hadn't heard herself make a sound...his hearing was extraordinary. But now, she had to move. Silently. _Yeah, right!_

As she reached for another branch, the old man gave a cry, and, startled, she slipped, falling directly on top of him. He grabbed her gently, holding her in his lap so she didn't fall and crack her head upon the ground.

"Why hello there." he said, amused. "And who might you be?"

"Melody." she replied, not sure as to why she was trusting him, other than he looked like someone's kind old grandfather. His eyes twinkled, and she realized he reminded her of a cross between Gandalf from _Lord of the Rings_ and Dumbledore from _Harry Potter_. Two of her favorite book and movie series ever!

_Well, Gandalf and Dumbledore were both good guys,_ Melody thought. _Why not? He hasn't tried to hurt me...yet._

"I am Gandalf the Grey, otherwise known as Mithrandir in some parts. Where are you from?"

"A long way from here." she muttered, eyeing the forest she was now in.

He chuckled. "I have traveled far, perhaps I know of it?"

"Doubt it. Aurora?" Melody asked.

Gandalf/Mithrandir shook his head, looking puzzled. "What country is that in?"

"The United States of America."

Now the poor wizard looked completely lost.

"Do you know of Earth?" she asked. His eyes widened.

"Yes. Yes, I do. That would explain much." He remained silent for some time. Melody sensed that he was thinking hard about something and decided to disturb him no further than sliding off his horse to stand on the ground. He let her go, and sat astride the horse for some time more, deep in thought.

"Hey, there." Melody whispered to the horse. "Does he do this often?" The horse nickered and nudged her hand, sniffing as if he suspected she held a treat.

Melody smiled. "Sorry, I don't have anything for you." she said softly. The horse lifted its head and met her gaze. She smiled, stroking his nose.

"Do you know where you are?" Gandalf asked suddenly.

"I assume I am somewhere in Middle-Earth, but I am not sure where. Mirkwood or Lothlórien are my guesses." Melody replied.

Gandalf laughed softly. "There are other forests in this world besides those two. You are not far from the Shire, lass."

Melody's eyes widened. "Can I meet some hobbits?" she asked eagerly. "Or some Elves?"

Gandalf chuckled at her wide eyes. She looked so excited!

"Hobbits first. Bilbo Baggins' one-hundred-eleventh birthday is in two days! I am on my way there for that very occasion. Perhaps you would like to join me?" he offered.

Melody's face fell. "I'm not a party crasher type."

"He won't mind another guest, I am sure. His nephew Frodo much enjoys news of places beyond the Shire. Do not tell him you are from another world, but you may tell him you are from somewhere far away, and a bit about your world couldn't hurt. It would be a much appreciated break for me." he said, his eyes twinkling.

"In that case, I'd love to!" Melody cried.

"Until I can get you a horse of your own, you must ride with me. Come," He gestured towards the saddle in front of him. "We must hurry, for I am late getting back to my camp."

Melody nodded and took his hand, leaping lightly onto the horse's back. They set off across the stream and traveled along in silence for some time before they reached a clearing with a cart and little else in it. Gandalf slid down from the saddle and helped Melody down.

"Due to my side adventure, we must travel through the night, but you may sleep in the back if you wish." he offered, and Melody accepted with a yawn and a grateful smile.

_Gandalf is a good guy. I'll be fine._

Soon after, they were on their way, Gandalf up front driving, and Melody curled in some blankets in a space amongst the fireworks, sound asleep.


	3. Chapter 3: Party!

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) and Kaycee-x John Cenaholic for beta'ing and reviewing respectively! Kaycee: Yes, you're right, but shhh! ;D  
**

Finding the Light:

Chapter Two: Party!

Dark had fallen, but the field was lit with many candles and the occasional firework. Music and laughter rang out through the air, mixing with the normal night sounds to create a musical background full of light-hearted fun.

Melody remained in the dark, hesitantly playing with the sleeve of her dress. She had no clue how the hobbits had pulled together a dress for her in less than five hours, but they had. It was red, in the same style as Rosie's, with a bit of white mixed in here and there. It was cute in a hobbit way, but Melody felt she would prefer an elven or Rohirric lady's dress. For this, however, there was no one to impress, so she could just have fun.

She laughed lightly as Frodo bounded up to her, taking her hand and kissing it again.

"You look beautiful," he told her.

"You look nice too." she replied. Looking around, she added, "And this is amazing! Do I get to meet Bilbo? And is it true it's your birthday too?"

"Yes, and yes, it's my coming of age, but-" Frodo was cut off as Melody squealed.

"Happy birthday! I'm sorry I don't have a present for either of you..."

"Don't worry about it." Frodo reassured her. "Come, Bilbo was over here the last I saw of him."

The hobbit tugged Melody through the crowd. "Perhaps you can combine our presents. Can you sing?"

"Some. I was a performer behind my parents' backs at home." she replied.

"Your parents didn't know?" Melody smirked.

"Nope!"

Frodo laughed, then started waving. "Bilbo!"

An older hobbit with white hair turned. "Frodo!" he cried, reaching out to hug his nephew.

"Bilbo, you heard about Gandalf's friend?" Frodo queried.

"Yes, yes, where is this young lady?" Bilbo scanned the nearby hobbits. Melody stepped forward, smiling.

"Here Mr. Baggins."

"Just Bilbo will do fine, my dear. Come, come! Sit with us, perhaps a drink?" he offered.

"No, thank you."

"It's the best in the Shire!" Frodo cried, evidently upset. Bilbo looked hurt.

Melody leaned closer, beckoning them towards her. "I'll tell you both a secret. I'm a minor. I can't drink."

"Not where you come from! But no one will know here!" Bilbo cried. Melody shook her head.

"The reason for that law is that my body will be damaged if I drink before twenty-one. It causes our bodies to deteriorate more quickly and shortens our life span."

"Oh, well, then maybe you shouldn't. I'll have some non-alcoholic drinks brought 'round." Bilbo muttered crossly. He cheered up after a moment. "Then you must try this!"

The next hour was spent with Bilbo dragging Melody around, introducing her to many hobbits and foods alike. She never ate much, just didn't have a large stomach, and finally had to excuse herself.

Frodo found her lying on the grass just beside the dancers. She turned at the sound of footsteps and smiled at him.

"You hobbits eat too much at once!" she exclaimed. "I can never eat that much in one sitting! Now, if I were to snack-a little bit here and there, say-it would be gone fairly quickly!"

"Then you must dance it off, and eat more! The way the hobbits do!" Frodo cried. "Perhaps soon you will sing for us?"

"Perhaps." Melody agreed with a small smile. "I must decide on a song first."

"Do you play an instrument?"

"Yes, several. I play flute, piano, and guitar."

"What's a guitar?" Melody sighed and shook her head. "You didn't bring one with you, did you?"

"No, I only had this." She held up a little bag she'd found strapped around her waist under her clothes as she changed. "A guitar wouldn't fit."

"Maybe it's a magic bag! Ask it for one!" Frodo cried.

"Ask the bag for a guitar?" Melody repeated, raising an eyebrow. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Not very much at all!" Frodo said, laughing as he twirled in a circle on the grass before toppling over.

"Riiight..." Melody muttered. "I'm not sure if you would understand the lyrics to almost any song I know...we mention technology a lot..."

"Just sing!" Frodo pleaded.

"Oh, all right. Only for that face." Melody told him, flicking his chin gently. Frodo blinked in surprise, and she laughed. "I'll even try your 'magic bag' theory."

She put her hand in the bag, searching for the familiar handle of her guitar. She let out a yelp when she felt it in her hand. Pulling, her eyes opened wide as her sleek red guitar slid out of the tiny little bag.

"Oh my God...Frodo!" she cried, laughing. She hugged the little hobbit quickly. He laughed as well.

"Told you so!" he shouted, running over to Bilbo. "Bilbo! Melody agreed to perform a song for us!"

All the hobbits turned to stare expectantly at her. Melody had tucked the bag away quickly, wanting the hobbits to think the guitar had come with Gandalf. She wasn't sure how they'd react to a magic bag, although they'd accepted her readily enough. She spotted Merry and Pippin edging towards Gandalf's cart and winked at them, smirking. Pip smiled back, and the two ran for the cart, diving behind it. Melody hoped they'd gotten her message. She moved to stand to the side of the cart, a little ways in front.

"What kind of song do you want?" she called.

"A love song, sung by a pretty lady!" one drunk hobbit yelled.

"A happy love song for the couples!" Frodo cried, eyeing Sam and Rosie. Melody smiled.

"This is for them, then." She winked at Rosie, the two had become friends upon meeting each other. Rosie smiled back happily as Melody plucked out some chords, tuning her guitar.

"Can I have some instrumentalists help me out?" she called. Soon she had a set-up that vaguely resembled the traditional one from her world. She gave them their beats and rhythms, then took her stance in the front.

"This song is from my world, so you may not understand some of the lyrics, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. It's called _Call Me Maybe_ by Carly Rae Jepsen." The hobbits cheered, then fell silent as she cued the others, strumming out the opening chords.

"_I threw a wish in the well, don't ask me, I'll never tell, I looked to you as it fell, and now you're in my way! I trade my soul for a wish, pennies and dimes for a kiss, I wasn't looking for this, but now you're in my way, Your stare was holding, ripped jeans, skin was showing, hot night, wind was blowing, where you think you're going baby? Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe! It's hard to look right, at you baby, but here's my number, so call me maybe! Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe! And all the other boys, try to chase me, but here's my number, so call me maybe! You took your time with the call, I took no time with the fall, you gave me nothing at all, but still you're in my way, I beg and borrow and steal, at first sight and it's real, I didn't know I would feel it, but it's in my way, Your stare was holding, ripped jeans, skin was showing, hot night, wind was blowing, where you think you're going baby? Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe, It's hard to look right, at you baby, but here's my __number, so call me maybe! Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe! And all the other boys, try to chase me, but here's my number, so call me maybe! Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad! I missed you so bad! I missed you so, so bad! Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad! And you should know that! I missed you so bad...bad...bad...bad...It's hard to look right, at you baby, but here my number! So call me, maybe! Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here's my number, so call me maybe! And all the other boys, try to chase me, but here's my number, so call me maybe! Before you came into my life, I missed you so bad, I missed you so bad, I missed you so, so bad, before you came into my life, I missed you so bad, and you should know that, so call me maybe!_"

Melody paused for breath as the last chords faded away. She'd been jumping and dancing throughout the whole song, and the hobbits had been really impressed. Children came running up to her, wanting to hug her and talk to her all at once. Applause rang in her ears and she smiled. It felt good to perform again. Like she hadn't left her old self at home completely. She was still her, and could still make others smile.

The dragon firework had been spectacular, right at the climax of the song. She'd ducked under it and kept going, which had amazed the hobbits. She smirked at the looks on some of their faces.

Frodo came up as well, cheering for Bilbo. "Speech, Bilbo! Speech!" he cried. Melody joined him, the two smiling at each other.

_It's nice to have a friend..._


	4. Chapter 4: Hanging Around

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) and my reviewer, Kaycee-x John Cenaholic! Without you two, this story wouldn't be in continuation! :D  
**

Finding the Light:

Chapter Four: Hanging Around:

Silence reigned in the little hobbit-hole. Finally, Melody broke the ice.

"Well… definitely an interesting way to end a party."

Frodo simply moved off, clearly wanting a moment alone. Gandalf let him go, and turned to Melody. "The next part of my journey will undoubtedly prove perilous, and I feel it would be best if you stayed here for the time being. I'm sure Frodo would greatly appreciate the company."

Melody nodded. She knew what would happen next. She'd already decided that the best course of action would be to stay and go with the hobbits to Rivendell. But first…

"Gandalf." The wizard paused on his way out the door.

"In my world, we know of you. But only through stories."

Gandalf stared at her for a moment, then understood her meaning. She knew their future. "Best not to tell anyone else. No," he held up his hand. "I wish to know no more. If we should stray, speak up. If not, remain silent. It is best for us to fail or succeed as we are meant by our own resources, as we are meant to."

Melody nodded, grateful for his acceptance. "I'll stick with Frodo for now." she told him quietly, and he nodded.

"Be careful." Gandalf's expression conveyed enough worry and concern that Melody had to look away.

"I will." With that, Melody left to go look for the hobbit in question.

They spent time playing around, talking, and Melody often went off exploring. She was much more adventuresome than most hobbits, and quickly befriended Merry and Pippin. The trio got up to all kinds of mischief. Melody helped keep the two hobbits in line, as she didn't approve of stealing or trespassing, and came up with more interesting schemes that stayed within the limits of morality.

Like the time they went swimming, and the hobbits pretended to be drowning until Melody dove in and 'saved' them. In reality, she'd been teaching them both to swim for a few weeks before that, so neither of the hobbits was really in any danger. It scared most of the hobbits living nearby, though.

And earned Melody a name as a heroine, an unexpected bonus. She didn't much like it, but tolerated it for Frodo's sake. He missed Bilbo greatly, and if she left or became on uneasy terms with anyone, it would upset him even more.

She also often performed for them, and Frodo loved her voice. Hearing her sing was something else. Sam often said he believed she sang like an elf, even though he'd never heard an elf sing. He once caught her writing, and attempted to persuade her to perform a song or poem that she had written, but he failed. Her stubborn refusal baffled the hobbits, who weren't terribly shy about performing their own works.

"She's bashful," said Frodo once. "She's really very quiet and thoughtful." None of the hobbits believed him. That was a side of her she only shared with Frodo, during the quiet winter evenings. Frodo greatly enjoyed her company and the two became fast friends. She told him of herself, her world, and her friends and family. Much of her story she told through songs, with the hobbit sitting by the fire with his eyes closed, trying to picture her world. She showed him some pictures from her camera, and told him of driving and her first attempts on the road. The fact that her father made her drive stick-shift, or manual, and that being a problem, proved amusing to the hobbit.

So they spent their time together until Gandalf's return, telling them to flee. Frodo quickly arranged preparations, and Melody stayed out of their way for the most part, afraid she'd let slip something she shouldn't. As per her agreement with Gandalf, she hadn't mentioned the stories to Frodo, and he didn't know that she knew their future.

_ I can't wait to meet Legolas! _Melody grew more and more excited every day. She often wondered if her story would follow the books or movies. Everything looked like it came out of the movies, so she assumed that it would follow those. But the preparations seemed as though they came from the books. _Well the movies didn't cover everything, __or at least_ _they didn't show everything. And I can't skip scenes while living it. I guess it's a mixture of both, then._

All in all, she couldn't wait for her adventure to start!


	5. Chapter 5: Solitary Journey

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta LadyNostarielofMirkwood for editing and her suggestions/comments and also for reviewing. Thanks! :D Also dedicated to Kaycee-x John Cenaholic for being my loyal reviewer :D It means a lot to me!  
**

Finding the Light:

Chapter Five: Solitary Journey:

Melody fled down the path to Bag's End. "Frodo!" she called breathlessly. "Frodo!"

Since Gandalf had told Frodo about the Ring, some months had passed. Melody vaguely remembered that they left sometime around her brother's birthday, in late September. It was now late June, and Frodo had persuaded her to celebrate her birthday with them. It was two days after Mid-year's Day, on the twenty-fourth of June. She had three days to plan what she wanted, and Frodo wasn't letting her get away with anything small. Since she figured he needed something to help him forget the ring, she told him to plan her a surprise party. That didn't mean he didn't ask her questions about what colors she preferred, what kinds of lighting, what time of day, the list went on and on. From his questions, she'd gleaned an outline of what the party would be like.

It wasn't not to her tastes, so she didn't protest, although she definitely thought he was making it into too much of a big deal. Rosie had helped make her a new dress. The theme, once again, was red with white trimmings. She'd learned much in her stay in the Shire. Sam had taught her to cook outside with their materials, how to make a fire in this world. Surprisingly, she had no trouble with it whatsoever. She practically snapped her fingers and had a spark. She'd never had much trouble at home, but it hadn't been this easy!

Merry had taught her to ride the ponies in the Shire, but hadn't gotten her an actual horse. That would have been rather difficult around here. Melody had tried several times to make her own bow and arrows, and secretly begun practicing pretending to defend herself with knives. Preparing for the journey in any way she could without letting on that she was preparing for a long, difficult, dangerous journey. That in itself proved difficult, but somehow, she managed.

Her birthday went off without a hitch, she gave everyone a few performances by request as a present and presented Frodo and Sam with collections of her original writings. Merry and Pippin she gave instruments for mischief, such as water balloons and water guns lent for a day. She simply said she'd brought them with her. Since Frodo knew about her 'magic' bag, he covered for her and agreed when asked if they had been hidden in his house. This unfortunately led to his house being ransacked by Merry and Pippin the next day. For that, Melody apologized profusely.

She practiced drawing, with assistance from Frodo himself, and gained some new artistic skills. He often listened to her play, and eventually she relaxed enough to perform some original pieces before him. He enjoyed them immensely, and often helped her develop into a better writer and performer.

Rosie taught her to sew clothing and other materials needed in a household in Middle Earth, By making clothes for Frodo, Melody learned to make men's clothes, and borrowed some materials to make some for herself in disguise, binding her chest and waist while sewing padding into the shoulders to hide her feminine figure.

Frodo knew they were leaving the Shire, he was busy making plans with Gandalf and the others, but didn't know exactly what lay in store for them, and she didn't want to scare him away from leaving the Shire at all with all her practicing with weaponry and such. Before Gandalf left the Shire she begged him to teach her swordplay. He only reluctantly agreed when she hinted that she knew she would need it.

To his great surprise, she picked up on it quickly, and soon bested him in an honest duel, without either of them holding back any bit of skill. Her greatest talent lay in using the terrain and conditions around her to her advantage, something Gandalf had not taught her. With that, he declared her a fine swordswoman, and refused to practice with her any longer. He left soon after her birthday, and abandoned her to practice alone.

Every morning Melody went out for a run, and in the woods around the Shire would go through a strict workout routine before even picking up her sword. She had also found a craftsman near Bags End who had been willing to work with her on developing a 'prop for her performances'. Which she fully intended to use as a weapon. Its design was one of her own make, something she had invented herself but never gotten made.

The thing itself was simple, really. A pole about hip-height on her, hollow, with another pole resting inside. When she flicked it a certain way, the second pole would slide out into her other hand. Each pole was only half-length, and when flicked again, extended to full length-about as long as she was tall, merely a few inches shorter. She carefully coaxed her craftsman into inserting blades into each end of each fully extended pole, saying he would understand when he saw her perform with it, despite his stubborn insistence that she would kill herself on accident while practicing. These blades would extend when she pressed a certain patch of wood that then would serve as a sort of button and release the blades. Another push would release poison, but the craftsman didn't know about that. That, Melody had been forced to do on her own, for secrecy's sake.

She had spent the days teaching herself to wield her invention, and also coated the entire thing, inside and out, with fireproof liquid, like a hard covering protecting it from burning. Once that had dried, she inserted storage containers for a very flammable oil, and practiced lighting the poles on fire while twirling them.

When she had first decided to stay in the Shire, she had worried about being bored. Now Melody realized she needn't have. Preparing for such a journey, having been from her world and as unprepared as could be, had taken all of her time and attention, and yet, she still felt as though she was not ready.

But the time had come. She had no wish to alter the hobbits' journey to Bree, and so borrowed a pony and set out some days before them.

"I will meet you in Bree." she told a very confused Frodo.

"Why do you not journey with us?" the hobbit asked, pleading for her to stay with him. Melody smiled and kissed his forehead gently, as a mother might, trying to soothe his fears.

"You will understand in time."

She left the next morning, having packed her clothes and some provisions Frodo had given her that night. She rode out like a lady of the Shire, then paused on the road to change into the outfit she had made for herself. Though she doubted any would be on the road to see her, she dared not wear her clothes from back home. It was too risky, although they were much more comfortable. She urged her pony into a swift canter, pole strapped to her hip securely.

The only trouble Melody encountered occurred shortly after she reached Bree. A dirty young man tried luring her into his home, and grew upset when she refused. She reluctantly pulled out her pole and whacked the back of his neck with it, effectively rendering him unconscious. Uncertain of what else to do, she dumped him over his own wall and rode off, hoping no one saw any part of that particular exchange.

When she reached the Prancing Pony, she wove a little story about being lost, having been kidnapped and left in the woods. She told Butterbur that she had escaped before her captors returned for her and wandered along 'that road' for a long time before seeing Bree. She told him she'd found the pony by the side of the road, apparently having run away from home. He was sympathetic and offered her a room for free if she would perform songs and dances for the customers. She agreed, as long as her rights were respected. He quickly reassured her that no man who showed any interest in forcing his way on her would return while she remained there.

All Melody could do now was wait for the hobbits to show up. But before that, she had a little surprise.


	6. Chapter 6: Bree

**A/N: Sooooo sorry for the wait! Here's the next chapter! More will be coming soon! I promise! Christmas break is coming up, I'm not as busy, and I just got dumped...writing is my safe haven. I will be retreating to this haven as of today. Celebrate my pain. Or read the story. Preferably read the story ;) Thanks for sticking with it! It means a lot to me right now! :D**

Finding the Light:

Chapter Six: Bree:

Firelight flickered over the wooden walls. Bawdy tavern songs rolled through the inn's dining area, the off-key and out-of-tune voices making Melody, musical as she was, flinch and cringe. Mr. Butterbur noticed and flashed her a wink, their signal for her to begin setting up for her performance.

As she gathered her things, deciding not to add in her tricked-up pole, seeing as she was still healing from her last attempts at tossing the darned thing-it wouldn't twirl like her flags at home, it provided too little resistance-simply grabbing her guitar and moving off to the side to tune, a dark figure stepped in. Mr. Butterbur seemed nervous in dealing with him, so Melody tensed up as he approached her quiet spot in the shadows to the side of the fireplace.

"Relax, young lad. Might I share a moment of blessed peace with you at the end of my long journey before these ragged drunkards overrun the place?" a man's voice asked from under the hood.

"Perhaps, if you might remove your hood so that I can see you mean me no harm." she replied easily, eyeing him. She'd already guessed he was Strider, or Aragorn, but she couldn't be too sure.

"I can assure you I mean you no harm, but do not wish to remove my hood."

"Then I must decline. I am due to perform shortly anyway. If you will excuse me," she stood and nodded at him, before starting to take her leave. He reached out and she jumped, raising her hands in defense.

"Easy, lass." she noticed the difference in how he addressed her. _He thought I was a guy! Huh, guess the disguise works till I stand up._

"Why lass?" she asked, curious as to what gave her away.

"Your face and hair. The way you move." She sighed.

"I'm loath to cut my hair. And I can't help the way I move."

"Why are you hiding?" Aragorn asked.

"Protection. There are men out there who would take advantage of a woman traveling alone." Aragorn inclined his head.

"Rest in peace, lass. I will not reveal your secret."

"Thank you." she replied, moving towards the fireplace. She took her stance in front of it as the innkeeper announced that she would be performing for the patrons that night. She received some scattered applause as she slipped out of her cloak, revealing her 'performance outfit', which consisted of a strapless red dress with a sparkly bodice that went to her knees, with feather-like strips of a transparent red cloth forming a sort of tail behind her, reaching almost to the ground even in her heeled black-and-red knee-high boots, the left of which had part of the top cut out to reveal her birthmark just below her left knee, which her friends had said looked like a phoenix in flight, and thus gave her her nickname: Phoenix. The light cloth of the skirt had a thicker layer behind it, that also cut off at her knees. She'd braided her hair elvish style and put flowers in it all around, so it looked like she wore a crown of flowers. She'd dusted on some red-tinted eye shadow and a light layer of clear lip gloss. With the fire behind her, her hair lit up until it almost glowed orange. The room fell silent, the men wondering what the beauty meant to do.

She strummed a few chords on her guitar, and asked the crowd "What kind of a song do you feel like?"

"A love song from the beautiful lady!" someone called. _What is it with people in Middle Earth getting drunk and wanting to hear love songs?_

"A party song!" someone else called.

"How about both?" she asked. "in one song?"

She got a rousing round of cheers for that. Grinning, she set a beat and took a deep breath.

_"Maybe I need some rehab, or maybe just need some sleep, I got a sick obsession, I'm seeing it in my dreams, I'm looking down every alley, I'm making those desperate calls, I'm staying up all night hoping, hitting my head against the wall. What you've got, boy, is hard to find, I think about it, all the __time, I'm all strung up, my heart is fried, I just can't get you, off my mind...Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug, Your love, your love, your love, I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug, Your love, your love, your love. Won't listen to any advice, Momma's telling me to think twice, But left to my own devices I'm addicted its a crisis! My friends think I've gone crazy, my judgement's getting kinda hazy, My status is gonna be affected if I keep it up like a lovesick crackhead. What you've got boy, is hard to find, I think about it, all the time, I'm all strung up my heart is fried, I just can't get you, off my mind, Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug, your love, your love, your love. I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug, your love, your love, your love. I don't care what people say, the rush is worth the price I pay, I get so high when you're with me, But crash and crave you when you're away. So I got a question, Do you want to have a summer party in my basement? Do I make your heart beat like an 808 drum? Is my love, your drug? Huh, your drug? Huh, your drug? Huh, your drug? Is my love, your drug? Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug, your love, your love, your love. I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love your love. Because your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love, your love. I said your love, your love, your love, is my drug. Your love, your love, your love. Heyyy heyyy your love, your love, your love, your love,"_ she stopped dancing to kneel in front of a rather cute young man and whispered. _"is my drug."_

The room was silent for a few moments, then she simply stated normally, "I like your beard." All the men laughed and cheered, calling for an encore. Strider sat in a corner wondering.

As Melody finished her song, the hobbits slipped quietly in. Now Frodo waved their friend over, and she promised the crowd to sing again if she was still around later before ducking out of the way and wrapping a cloak around her shoulders.

"That was amazing!" Pippin exclaimed.

"Why thank you hun." Melody replied, flicking his nose. She helped herself to some bread and butter, drinking only cold water, despite the look on her face. She went up and whispered to the innkeeper, who laughed and fetched her a large glass of milk, sharing a confidential smile before she returned to the hobbits. She finished her drink and went to go change, leaving the four now rather drunk hobbits to their own devices.

And Frodo's catastrophe with the Ring.

By the time Melody started back towards the dining room, she ran into Sam, Merry, and Pippin outside the door to Strider's room, Sam with his fists raised, the others with various random objects-such as a chair, for example. She drew her pole and flicked it a few times before pointing the blade at Aragorn. "Let Frodo go." The king-to-be backed away, hands raised. "I mean no harm." he assured her. "You are with them?" Melody nodded silently, her eyes never leaving him. He quickly explained the situation and had everyone move into his room, including Melody. It was slightly awkward, but she figured she wouldn't sleep anyway. _Might as well get used to it._ They had a long time on the road ahead.

The Ringwraiths' cries were enough to give her nightmares for a lifetime.

"And I thought zombies were bad." she whimpered. Aragorn tried to reassure her, but failed epically. It ended with him having a lump on his head from her pole and her sitting in a corner for the remainder of the night until dawn broke and Frodo felt it safe to approach her.

"It's all right now." he whispered cautiously, reassuringly. Melody took a deep breath to steady herself, standing shakily.

"Let's get out of here." Strider muttered, leading the way out. Melody was lost in a daze, just following the group around. If they split up, she went with Frodo. They all met up to start on the road together and Melody walked silently behind Strider until they reached the woods.


End file.
